"She seems to bring the gender and geographic balance to the ticket that's needed," said state Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn) of one-term Rep. Kathy Hochul.

Ms. Hochul, now an official with Buffalo-based M&T Bank, replaces outgoing Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy of Rochester on the ticket. Duffy bowed out earlier this month citing health and family considerations.

While Ms. Hochul wasn't conservative enough to win re-election in a redistricted conservative enclave upstate, the support she received in the past from the National Rifle Association has prompted at least one well-placed progressive Dem, Bill Samuels -- whose father Howard ran for the No. 2 spot in 1974 -- to make noise about running a primary against her.

"Too conservative?" said Ms. Savino. "Maybe from some Democratic perspectives. But she's more like a Staten Island Democrat or a Queens Democrat. And she was nominated by Melissa Mark-Viverito," the liberal City Council speaker.

"She has a very good reputation," said Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Mid-Island), who attended last week's state convention on Long Island, where Ms. Hochul was selected. "She's very well-liked and I think a very good pick."

"I don't know much about her politics, and I wouldn't expect to agree with her on everything, but I look forward to working with her," said Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore). "She speaks her mind, doesn't play games and helps to round out the ticket. She complements upstate and downstate middle-of-the-road Democrats."

The last time Democrats fielded a female who went on to become lieutenant governor was Mary Anne Krupsak in the mid-1970s.

Meanwhile, borough Democrats said Cuomo won rave reviews from parade-goers as they walked with him Monday.

"The crowd was overwhelmingly supportive of him," said Ms. Savino. "I told him, 'We like to pretend they're cheering for us, but they're really cheering for you.' You kept hearing, 'Thank you for UPK, governor!' 'Great job, governor!' People really like him."

"I've walked with a lot of people along Forest Avenue," said Cusick, "and the support he got was great; it was real. People were saying, 'That's the governor!' They were surprised and very happy to see him."

"You heard a lot of thank yous directed toward the governor," agreed Titone. "One person called out, 'Don't forget us,' and he said, 'I would never forget Staten Island; I love Staten Island.' You have to remember that on Memorial Day, the governor could have gone anywhere, but he came here. I think he has a genuine affinity for Staten Island. He gets us."